1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 40A illustrates an M loading tape path of a conventional magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus.
The magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus illustrated in FIG. 40A includes a chassis 501 and a cylinder 503 having a rotary magnetic head. The magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus records/reproduces signals to/from a tape 505 of a cassette 502 while winding the tape 505 around the cylinder 503. In FIG. 40A, the tape 505 is wound around the cylinder 503 for a predetermined arc.
FIG. 40B illustrates the magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus of FIG. 40A as viewed from a direction indicated by an arrow A.
Referring to FIG. 40B, the magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus having the tape path as illustrated In FIG. 40A needs a predetermined gap of at least .delta.1 so that a lid 504 of the cassette 502 does not contact the upper surface of the cylinder 503.
Moreover, the magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus having such a structure as illustrated in FIG. 40A needs a predetermined gap .delta.2 so as to avoid interference between the lid 504 of the cassette 502 and the cylinder 503. The gap .delta.2 may inhibit downsizing of the tape path and the mechanism.
In the M loading tape path as illustrated in FIG. 40A, the tape 505 is wound around the cylinder 503 in a spiral pattern, as illustrated in FIGS. 41A and 41B, wherein a portion 508 of a lead 507 for guiding the tape 505 is higher than a lower edge 506 of the tape 505 in the cassette 502 by h1.
Therefore, in a loading operation in which the tape 505 is pulled out from the cassette 502 and wound around the cylinder 503, the tape 505 is raised from a position 505a to a position 5O5b, thereby hooking the tape 505 on the lead 507.
In an unloading operation in which the tape 505 is unwound from the cylinder 503 and pulled back into the cassette 502, the tape 505 is lowered from the position 505b to the position 505a, thereby unhooking, or disengaging, the tape 505 from the lead 507.
Thus, in the magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus having the structure as illustrated in FIG. 40A, the tape 505 may be damaged during the loading/unloading operation in which the tape 505 is hooked/unhooked on/from the lead 507.
Particularly for a thin tape which is required for a long-time and/or digitalized recording operation, the hooking or mounting of the tape 505 on the lead 507 may cause greater damage to the tape 505.
In order to avoid damage to the tape 505, it is necessary to finely adjust the tension acting upon the tape 505 in the loading/unloading operation. Various other problems may also occur. For example, it may be necessary to maintain a high dimensional accuracy for the members for pulling out the tape. These factors may complicate the mechanism and therefore inhibit downsizing of the mechanism.